COMSTOCK PARK, MI - West Michigan Whitecaps starter Dane Myers reversed his first-inning woes, but the offense remained sluggish in dropping a 3-2 decision to the Beloit Snappers in 12 innings amidst 6,640 fans Monday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.Tweet from @wmwhitecaps: #WCaps fall to @BeloitSnappers in the final game
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - West Michigan Whitecaps starter Dane Myers reversed his first-inning woes, but the offense remained sluggish in dropping a 3-2 decision to the Beloit Snappers in 12 innings amidst 6,640 fans Monday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.
The game represented the longest of the season in innings played for the Whitecaps. Myers atoned for a sluggish outing in his last start against Lake County in which he gave up six earned runs in less than an inning of work in his shortest start of 2018. Monday also marked the first scoreless first inning Myers has dealt since the first-half after a carrying an ERA of 13.04 in the opening frame of a contest.
Beloit starter Wyatt Marks matched Myers stride-for-stride, allowing only three singles and three walks in six scoreless innings, as both offensives failed to score through nine stanzas of the contest. Scoreless baseball was finally ended in the tenth as Beloit benefited from a pair of Snappers RBI's from Skyler Weber and Lazaro Armenteros and took a 2-0 lead. However, 'Caps pinch hitter Rey Rivera responded with a towering two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to knot the game at two. An inning later, West Michigan fumbled away a golden opportunity with a blown suicide squeeze bunt attempt with one out, allowing the Snappers to catch base runner Colby Bortles off third base in a pivotal moment of the ballgame. In the twelfth, Nick Allen delivered a go-ahead Snappers sacrifice fly to take the 3-2 advantage and close out the Whitecaps to complete a three-game sweep.
Myers dealt six innings of no-run baseball, scattering five singles and striking out two. Will Vest (3-2), who came on in relief to work the last three innings for the 'Caps suffered the loss. Marks (5-6) went six strong innings for the Snappers allowing no runs on three hits and ringing up nine strikeouts. With their fourth-straight loss, the Whitecaps fall to 47-48 on the year and 11-14 in the second half. Beloit remains in first place in the Western Division with a sparkling 15-7 second-half record and 48-44 overall.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps enjoy a Tuesday off-day before visiting the Kane County Captains for a three-game series beginning Wednesday at 7:30 pm. Elvin Rodriguez gets the start for the Whitecaps against Cougars righty Jayson McKinley. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty begins on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 7:20 pm. Tickets are available for any Whitecaps 2018 home contest by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
Box Score
